JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a little more than a month, the next mayor of Jacksonville will be chosen.
Election day is May 16, but already votes are coming in at higher numbers than in the first election in March.
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Anyone who wants to vote in the runoff election Monday at midnight is the deadline to register to vote if you’re not currently registered.
News4JAX was out talking to voters and to the supervisor of elections on Friday about what is already taking place.
About 22,000 vote-by-mail ballots have already come back and 50,000 have been requested so far.
Election workers are already opening them up and to make sure that the signatures match what’s on file. Only 15 are in question as of Friday and those voters will be notified that there could be a problem.
It will be the last election for Supervisor Mike Hogan. He is term-limited out.
Hogan expects more voters than the county had in March and that will have an impact on this election.
Nearly 25% of voters participated in the March election.
“We’re looking at 37 percent plus, that if you look at the history, that’s what happens. I’m kind of shocked at that. But that’s been the pattern for the last two elections for the City of Jacksonville,” Hogan said. “I think that the public’s not going to be as confused as they were on that last ballot. I say confused because there were so many people running in those races that no one knew. And I think that was one of the causes of the low turnout.”
In March, the county saw more Democrats than Republicans vote by mail. So far this time, the two parties are voting in equal numbers. But the big test will be on election day.
Talking to voters on Friday, many said they plan to show up at the polls.
Like Argentina, who said she wanted to vote in March but it just didn’t happen.
Others like Anthony who did make it to the polls said he is definitely returning for the runoff.
“We need somebody that can really take a hold of the city,” said Anthony Chavis.
The registration deadline is Monday and you can do it online until midnight or in person downtown until 5 p.m.
You can also register at any Jacksonville Public Library branch.